Michael Murphy has poured cold water on growing calls for a change to the current Championship structure.

With Division One teams generally triumphing comfortably over those in the lower reaches so far in this year’s Championship, the provincial format has repeatedly been called into question.

The GPA recently carried out a survey among its members on the topic and Murphy, in his personal offerings, called for the status quo to remain.

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has made no secret of the weight he places on the Ulster Championship and, having qualified for the final against Monaghan on July 21, they are bidding to become just the second team in the last 50 years to win three provincial titles in successive years after Armagh 2004-06.

“I voted to keep it the way it is at the moment,” said the Donegal captain.

“One of the main reasons being the provincial championships at the moment are something that, from many players you’d be chatting to, people hold fairly close to their heart.

“There’s a lot made of it at the moment with people suggesting that there’s large gulfs between teams and teams’ performances.

“I still think if you look at the likes of London there making it through, maybe them stories are becoming few and far between, but if you look at it on the flip side I would argue differently.

“Teams are playing in the provincial championship (finals), look at last year, it was Down and Donegal in Ulster, Derry the year before.

“There’s teams still making it into provincial championship (finals) now and it gives everybody, I think, the best possible shot at it.

“I suppose you look at the flip argument, it might be encouraging to have maybe an open draw or Champions League style structure there. Maybe there could be room for that.

“But at the moment I personally feel that it should probably stay the way it is.”

Having racked up successive 16-point victories in Leinster already this year, Dublin’s dominance of the province over the past decade provides one of the most compelling arguments for a format overhaul.

And Murphy admits that, given their recent form, Jim Gavin’s side are the team to beat in the race for the Sam Maguire.

“You would have to have them up as the standard bearers now this year. In fairness to them, they have been the most consistent team of the year. Everybody has seen that.

“You look at them and they are just merging the attacking game with a fairly mean defensive game. They have both sides of the game ticked and without a doubt, they’re the team to beat.

“Jim Gavin has brought his own print on it. They have always played fairly attacking brand of football and without a doubt, they are continuing that on. There are different aspects that have changed.

“You have to say, on the evidence now, they are changing and evolving with the game at the moment. And they’re up there for every team to knock off.

“Whether they’re favourites or some other team are favourites, you won’t really be looking past your next game.

“Dublin are there at the moment. Cork and Kerry will be out this weekend and Mayo, they are the teams you would be looking towards in the latter stages.